UNESCO’s World Engineering Day brings people together to solve the challenges of resource scarcity, energy waste, and climate change. At ABB, we live and breathe this mission. Around the world, industries are being reshaped by three unstoppable forces: decarbonization, digitalization, and resource circularity. Energy prices remain volatile. Critical materials are under pressure. On this day, I want to recognize the people who turn these megatrends into momentum: our engineers. Their curiosity, grit, and imagination are how ABB converts today’s toughest challenges into tomorrow’s solutions.
At ABB, we don’t just talk about impact; we build it. At IEC Low Voltage Motors, we focus on increasing the efficiency, productivity, and environmental responsibility of the electric motor: the near-universal workhorse powering the processes that move water, make food, refine materials, and manufacture the goods the world relies on. And we do it together.
The engineers at ABB who wake up every day asking "what if?" and "why not?" are the reason we excel. Our culture of innovation is the difference. We were recently named one of Clarivate's Top 100 Global Innovators 2026 for intellectual property, and achievement made possible by 7,800 R&D colleagues across 30+ countries who filed over 600 patents in 2025 alone — including many for new electric motor designs. Their work is the engine that drives our "Engineered to Outrun" philosophy and our customers’ progress.
The opportunity in plain sight
This year’s theme, “Smart Engineering for a Sustainable Future Through Innovation and Digitalization”, mirrors how we combine breakthrough hardware with intelligent control to turn every kilowatt into lasting value.
According to the IEA’s Energy Efficiency 2025 report, motor‑driven systems account for roughly 60% of global industrial electricity demand and nearly a quarter of all electricity use worldwide. Upgrading motor fleets is one of the fastest ways to cut energy use, reduce emissions, and boost competitiveness. That’s exactly where our engineers are changing the game.
Three pathways to smarter motion
In recent years, we have placed strategic emphasis on advancing energy efficiency, streamlining lifecycle processes, and enhancing application flexibility to ensure robust, sustainable and future-ready performance across our portfolio. Each pillar represents a different way our people have reimagined what, where, and how electric motors can achieve their technological peak. Here are some highlights:
In 2011, our team pioneered magnet‑free SynRM technology: a solution that delivers high performance without rare earths, far lower energy losses, and cooler operation. Over the next decade, we advanced it to the anticipated IE6 “Hyper‑Efficiency” level in 2024. In a typical 110 kW application, upgrading from IE4 to IE6 SynRM can save €51,200 over 20 years and cut 92,200 kg of CO₂ — the equivalent of removing more than 21 cars from the road for a year. This is innovation turning engineering progress into real-world impact.
Our engineers asked: what if we embed the drive technology directly into the motor? The answer is the LV Titanium Variable Speed Motor. A plug-and-play solution that combines an IE5 motor and drive in one compact unit and arrives pre-commissioned from the factory. That’s innovation through simplification.
Flexibility: HDP with SynRM rotor
Not every application fits an off‑the‑shelf solution. That’s why we developed our customizable High Dynamic Performance (HDP) motors. Typically a specialized induction design, in 2025 we paired it with a SynRM rotor, giving customers both HDP’s extreme power density and IE5 efficiency. This is a great example of innovation driven by listening and adapting to customer needs.
Powered by people, driven by purpose
Engineering is the craft of closing the gap between what the world needs and what’s possible. World Engineering Day celebrates the profession — but more importantly, it celebrates the people who practice it with vision and determination.
The solutions exist. The technology is proven. The economics are compelling. And the time to act is now — by making every motor, in every plant, part of the solution. Let’s keep asking the hard questions, partnering with customers, filing the next patent, and transforming megatrends into measurable outcomes.
Together, we are Engineered to Outrun: helping industries run leaner and cleaner.
